Well apparatus



April 15, 1930. N. K. SMITH 1,754,288

Y WELL APPARTUS l Filed March 6, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNE YS.

April 15, 1930.

N. K. SMITH WELL APPARATUS Filed March 6,

a ai? f 192e 4 sheets-sneer 2 TNI/ENTOR, 21 Nelson K SmLfhl.

LF ATTORNEYS.

Apri115,193o. N KSWTH 1,754,288'

" WELL APPARATUS Filed March 6, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 #elm T MA1? i y ,my

- A INVENTOR, Nelson KJSmLth.

A TTORNE YS.

April 15, 1930.V

N. K. SMITH WELL APPARATUS Filed March 6, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /Velsn BY u INVENTOR,

K; Smith;

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 15, 1930 uNED PATENT OFFICE NELSON K. SMITH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALFORNTA, ASSIG'NOR TO BYRON JAGKSONCO., OF WEST BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE WELL APPARATUS Application :filed March 6, 1926. Serial No. 92,740.

This invention relates to well apparatus, and more particularly to elevators for lifting and handling pump-tubing, sucker rods, well tubing and well casing, and drill pipe,

or other objects, particularly those utilized in the drilling and pumping and operation of oil and other wells; and it has for its object to provide improved well apparatus of the character stated, which will be relatively superior in point of simplicity and inenpensiveness of construction, taken in conjunction with positiveness and reliability in action, convenience in use and manipulation, durability, com- `pactness of form, and length of life.

With the above and other objects in vieW,`

away, of a sucker rod elevator embodying 3o the invention, the parts being shown in positions assumed prior to application of the elevator to the sucker rod or other work and being releasably locked in such positions;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the partsin positions assumed after the application of the elevator to the work, and being positively locked in said positions; Y

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a modified form of elevator construction;

Figure e is aview similar to Figure 1 of the same modified form ofconstruction;

Figure 5 is a detail longitudinal sectional view taken upon the line 5 5, Fig. 1, and

5 looking inthe direction of the appended ar-- rows;

Figure 6 is a similar line (3*6, Fig. 2;

\ Figure 7 is a detail isometric view of one view taken upon the of the locking jaws utilized in type` in both i I'OWS.

specific forms rof the elevator disclosed in the drawings; j

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the elevator construction shown in Fig. 1, showing a bail applied to the same and disclosing means for limiting the relative swing of the bail and elevator body; j

Figure 9 is a detail longitudinal'sectional view, taken upon the line 9-9, Fig. 3, and

looking in the direction of the appended rows;

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 5, showing the parts assumed by the elevator when applied to the work, Fig. 5 showing the parts in the position assumed prior to application to the work as in Fig. l; and, Figure 11 is a detail transversesectional view taken upon the line 1l-l1, Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the appended ari Corresponding parts in the figures are designated by the same reference characters.

Referring with particularity to the drawings, I have shown therein in all the figures excepting 3, i, 9 and 11, a general stirrup or 75 U-shaped elevator body A, and in the other mentioned figures a slightly altered similarly formed elfevaltor body Bl, in connection with each of which forms of body cooperate workengaging and locking jaws C which are acgo commodated and mounted in association with said body in positions to be presented to and engaged with and operati veiy locked to work,

such as a sucker rod a. indicated in `Figure 10,

the bodyA or B receiving and accommodat- S5 ing such sucker rod or otherwork in such presentation of the jaws thereto, througha space provided at the forward portionof the body, and indicated at b in the figures other than Figures 3, Li, 9 and 11, and indicated in said 90 latter figures a't c. WVith such jaws C cooperates latch means D in the elevator shown in Figure 1 and the accompanying figures, and latch means E in the other form, the latch means D being mounted for rectilinear or a5 sliding movement and the latch means E cornprising two preferably pivotally mounted spaced members e mounted at opposite sides of the space c. Each of the elevator bodies A and' B is provided with the usual lateral U50 trunnions F to which may be applied a bail or bails or links or other suitable supporting means for an elevator and its work. Two of the work-engaging and locking jaws C are employed in each of the specific types of elevators shown, and same are mounted so as to both play pivotally in horizontal paths and likewise to play vertically during such pivotal play, such jaws being in depressed position when positively locked in work-engaging positions and co-nditions, and being in elevated positions when not applied to the work and releasably locked. These jaws Gconsist each of a body 12 which lies in a horizontal plane, or in each of two horizontal planes responsive to rise and fall, as stated, and each such body is constrained to swing about an axis, consist-ing of a bolt or pivot pin 13 passing through the body, in the main form of Figure 1 serving also as one of four bolts 13, 14, 15 and 16 which serve to hold in place a top plate 17 confining the working parts of the device. 'An extra bolt or pin 13 is provided for each of the bodies 12 in the niodilied form of construction of Figure 3, and fonr securing bolts 13b, 14:, 15 and 16 are used for holding the top plate 17 in place, these top plates 17 varying somewhat in form in agreement with thedifli'erence in form or shape of the two devices as entireties, but serving the same functions.

YThe jaws C are mounted in opposition to eachother and provided with arcuate portions 12a which are adapted to receive and accommodate the work, such as the sucker rods a, when in operative positions and relations, as shown in Figs. 3 and 2, and which are adapted to be presented to the work when in inoperative positions as in Figs. 1 and 4, and are adapted when in the latter positions to lie in part athwart a work-receiving vertical bore or opening 18 which directly communicates with the space c, such space and opening beingr conlined at one end and the sides o'f the entirety by the body A and by forwardly projectingr arms 19 on said body. At opposite sides of the arcuate surfaces 12"L are heads or shoulders- 12h and 12C, the former of which come substantially into engagement when the jaws are in inoperative positions, and the latter of which come substanti ally in engagement when the latter are in operative positions. Rearwardly projecting lingers 12d are preferably provided, and particularly in the main form of construction, cooperating in that instance with the locking means D, which may include a sliding stirrup-shaped member 20 confined between side walls 21 rising from the body A and extending longitudinally of the body so as likewise to conline the jaws Cthe arms 19 in the main form of construction likewise rising to the top surface plane of said sidewalls, but, however, in the modified form of construction they merely project from the lower portion of the body .into operative positions. vrise into lnoperatlve positions unless they can as at 19, as protection for the latch means. The member 2O is provided with lateral stop heads 22 cooperating with the end walls of slots 23 in the side walls 21, to limit the play of such member Q0, and such member is provided with depending heads 24. dispos-cd forwardly of coil compression springsl conlined between such heads and rear wall members 26 upon the body. These heads Q-l are disposed slightly rearwardly of the forward ends of the member 2O and at the inner sides of such member forwardly of the heads are disposed forwardly projecting cheeks 27, and the fingers 12d lie outwardly of said cheeks and forwardly of the heads 24 when the jaws C are in operative positions, and lie athwart the forward ends of said cheeks when the jaws are in inoperative positions, as respectively shown in Figures 2 and 1 of the drawings, the aws thus being maintained positively locked when in operative positions, by the disposition of said lingers 12d between said cheeks and the side walls Q1, and being maintained releasably locked when in inoperative posit-ions.

The jaws in depressed positions lie in pockets 28 between forward cam surfaces 29 and rearward cam surfaces 30 upon the body A, and ride upwardly upon said cam surfaces when going into inoperative positions, and downwardly into the pockets 28 when going The jaws cannot turn upon their axes 18, and this turning is prevented by the interlocking of the lingers 12d with the member 20. Thus the jaws are positively locked when in depressed operative positions. When the work is brought into en- Y gagement with the innermost portions of the arcuate faces 12a, however, the stresses brought to bear upon the jaws cause them to tend to rotate about their axes, causing the lingers 12d to bear upon the curved or biased ends of the cheeks 27, and the springs 25 are compressed, forcing the member 2O rearwardly and permitting the jaws to turn and fall into operative positively locked positions, from which they may be released so that they may ascend and turn into inoperative positions, by retracting themember 20. rlhe top plate 17 has a cut-out portion 17 conforming generally to the conformation of the space l), or the corresponding space c in the modified form of construction, although being somewhat enlarged centrally, preferably, and the work, such as the swell or bell aa, may readily descend and rest upon the jaws. A bail or bails or links H is or are applied to the trunnions F for supporting the entirety, and these may be limited in their swing fore and aft, so as to be kept substantially at or above horizontal position, by stops K upon the body A at the sides thereof, and forwardly and rearwardly of the trunnions F. Various clearances and drainage openings may be provided "3 lili in the device, certain of which are shown, for

freeing the working parts from iiuids or mobile substances encountered in well work and tending to j amb or impede or interfere-with the operation of the device.

In the modified form of construction, the jaws C are positively locked when in operative positions by the pivoted spaced members e, which overlie the arms 19 and have outwardly and oppositelylaterally curved fingerpieces 31. These pivoted members are confined between the lateral walls 2l and the jaws and have inwardly directed noses 32 at their inner ends which enter recesses 33 in the jaws C when the jaws are in operative positions, and which ride on to flat faces 34 upon j thejaws when the jaws are in inoperative positions. In the former positions these noses 32 together with the forward and rearward cams 29 and 30, if employed, lock thejaws positively in operative positions, and when these noses 32 are upon the flat faces 34 the jaws are releasably locked in inoperative positions. The noses 32 are urged into jawengaging positions by coil compression springs 35 housed within chambers 36 within the trunnions F. When the jaws are in operative positions, the lingers l2d engage with shoulders 3.7 formed upon the side walls 2l of the body, further limiting movement of the jaws. The noses 32 ride into the recesses 33 when the work and the arcuate faces l2EL of the jaws co-act in applying the elevator to the work. In order to release the jaws to per mit the elevator to be withdrawn from the work, it is merely necessary to grasp the finger-pieces 31 and cause them to approach each other against the compression of the springs 35 whereupon the elevator maybe withdrawn from the work and the noses brought to bear upon the flat faces 34 in positions from which they may automatically ride into the recess 33, when the elevator is again applied to the work.

The operation, method of use and advantages of theimproved elevator construction of either form or of many divers forms, will be readily understood from the foregoing description and statement, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; and furthermore, it is obvious that various modifications, changes, substitutions and alterations may be made, in practicing the invention, in departure from the specic features so disclosed, without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A device of the character disclosed, comj prising a body provided with relatively movable jaws adapted to receive and accommodate work upon presentation to the work, and

ceiving relation; pockets being provided to that end in said body for said jaws, and cam means being provided for causing the movement of said jaws from plane to plane when said jaws are partially rotated.

2. A device of the character disclosed, comprising a body provided with relatively movable jaws adapted to receive and accommodate work upon presentation to the work, and means for positively locking said jaws in work engaging relation and for releasably locking said jaws when in work receiving relation; said jaws being mounted for Inovement from one plane when in work engaging relation to another plane when in work receiving relation; pockets provided in said body for receiving said jaws when positively locked in their work engaging relation, and cam means arranged around said pockets for causing the movement of said jaws from plane to plane when the jaws are partially rotated.

VIn testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

NELSON K. SMITH.

means for positively locking said jaws in work-engaging relations and for releasably lil() lli) 

